When Xue Yang appeared, the onlookers started guessing his identity. After all, news that Lin Xi had publicly announced she had a boyfriend had already spread throughout the nearby universities. Seeing him now, they had a pretty good idea who he was.

The boys who had been interested in Lin Xi sighed, realizing they stood no chance. Some had wanted to play the hero and save the damsel in distress earlier, but after seeing Lin Xi easily kick away a burly man, they prudently abandoned the thought. What if they had gone up and been kicked by mistake? How embarrassing would that have been? Now, seeing that her boyfriend was Xue Yang, there was even less to say. This wasn’t a situation where you could just be reckless and charge in. To be as outstanding as Xue Yang was impossible in this lifetime, or the next.

After hearing the full story, Xue Yang learned that Lin Xi and Si Wen were fine, and his expression finally softened. Seeing Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi greet him, he also understood that the conflict among the four girls was now thoroughly resolved. This was a cause for celebration, so he pulled Lin Xi into his arms and said to the others, "You must all be hungry. Let me treat you to some food."

"Really...? Can we?" Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi’s gazes turned toward Lin Xi, full of inquiry and pleading.

Lin Xi, who was enjoying the comfort of Xue Yang’s embrace, heard their words and replied sweetly, "Sure~"

Xue Yang took the four girls to a hot pot place in the nearby Yonghui Supermarket. As soon as they entered the supermarket, Lin Xi ran into an old acquaintance.

"Lin Xi, do you know the staff here at Yonghui Supermarket?" Cao Xinrou asked curiously. She had just seen a uniformed employee greet Lin Xi and ask, "You’re back, huh?"

Lin Xi blushed. "Not really."

She would never dare to admit that she had worked here as a temp a few times because she didn’t have money to buy Xue Yang a gift. She had worn a Santa Claus suit, stood by the entrance, and taken photos with customers. Unexpectedly, even though she had worn a mask back then, she was still recognized.

In truth, it was because Lin Xi was simply too eye-catching. Even with a mask on, she had left a deep impression on everyone. Later on, when some people recognized who she was, they lamented how they’d missed out on a fortune. It was just that by then, Lin Xi was no longer working as a temp at the supermarket.

Hearing Lin Xi’s denial, Cao Xinrou didn’t ask any more questions. Some things are best left unsaid. If she doesn’t want to talk about it, it would be impolite to press her.

"However, this supermarket seems to have pretty low foot traffic," Cao Xinrou commented, glancing around. In a place like Yancheng, it was rare to see a supermarket with so few customers. With such low foot traffic, it couldn’t be making much money. The rent here was so high; how could an ordinary person afford to keep it running? It seemed the owner of this supermarket wasn’t worried about money.

"When we came here last year, the foot traffic was actually quite heavy," Lin Xi added. She still remembered that when she was playing Santa Claus, entry into the supermarket had to be staggered during peak hours. She had been exhausted that day.

Xue Yang also found it strange. The supermarket’s foot traffic seemed to have decreased overnight, but he hadn’t heard of any major issues. Perhaps he had just been too busy to notice.

The group went up to the fifth floor and arrived at a Wagyu beef hot pot restaurant.

"Wow, eating here must be very expensive, right?" Seeing the luxurious sign and the words "Wagyu beef," Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi froze, their feet feeling rooted to the spot. This was too big of a favor. With their current means, it would be difficult to repay it later.

Si Wen noticed their hesitation and said, "Don’t worry about it. This guy has plenty of money and doesn’t need you to pay him back."

Si Wen is actually quite considerate, Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi thought.

Just as the five of them sat down in the restaurant, they heard a clear, beautiful voice.

"What a coincidence. I didn’t expect to meet you all here."

Xue Yang looked up and saw Ming Yue approaching them with a smile.

When Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi saw the beautiful woman walking toward them—and, by the looks of it, heading for Xue Yang—they couldn’t help but wonder what was going on. Could she be Xue Yang’s old flame?

"Xiao Xi, this is Bai Yueguang. We used to play games together."

Hearing Xue Yang’s introduction, Lin Xi had a moment of realization. "So you’re Bai Yueguang! What a coincidence. Are you here to eat, too?"

"Yes and no. But since we’ve run into each other, do you mind if I sit down and join you? This meal’s on me, how about it?" After speaking, Ming Yue sat down next to Lin Xi. She chose her seat skillfully, neither too far from Xue Yang nor too close.

She already knew that Xue Yang and Lin Xi were engaged. Outsiders only knew that the heiress of the Lin Corporation was engaged, but very few knew to whom. It was only known that he wasn’t the heir of some prominent family, but an ordinary person. The assumption was that they wanted to protect the man, so his identity hadn’t been announced. But well-connected families, like the Wang Family, knew the truth.

"Of course, you can," Xue Yang said with a smile.

Si Wen said nothing, and Lin Xi naturally didn’t mind. Cao Xinrou and Liu Shiqi, however, were a bit tense. They could tell this woman was no ordinary person; her clothes and demeanor were clear indicators. Plus, they felt guilty for having just misunderstood her relationship with the group. She used to play games with them, so they obviously all knew each other. They had really been jumping at shadows. At this thought, the two of them couldn’t help but lower their heads.

The restaurant manager spotted a familiar face from afar and walked over. Seeing it was Ming Yue, he immediately said respectfully, "Boss, what brings you here?"

The remark was clearly addressed to Ming Yue.

"So this hot pot restaurant is yours," Xue Yang said. No wonder they had run into her here.

"Not for much longer," Ming Yue said. "The supermarket’s business hasn’t been good lately. I’m thinking that if it doesn’t turn a profit by the start of the school year, I’ll close it down by the winter break at the latest."

"Oh?" Xue Yang raised an eyebrow.

Ming Yue went on, "This supermarket originally belonged to the Wang Family. After the New Year, the family gave it to my younger brother for management training. Unexpectedly, he nearly bankrupted the entire place in less than three months. I had no choice but to take over, hoping to turn things around and salvage it. But once customers are lost, they’re lost. Getting them back is practically impossible. I can’t just let it keep losing money, so I’ll have to close up shop."

Xue Yang nodded as he listened. Indeed, regaining lost customers was no easy feat. It would take something incredibly appealing to draw them back, but creating such an attraction was easier said than done. In a place like Yancheng, there was every kind of supermarket imaginable. People had no reason to return to one they had already abandoned.

"I just wonder what fool will take over this supermarket," Ming Yue said with a self-deprecating laugh. If you want to sell a business, you can’t exactly tell the potential buyer the whole truth. Anyone who takes it off my hands would be a fool, wouldn’t they?